Combined lace and button shoe.



J. D. PRICE. COMBINED LACE AND BUTTON SHOE.

APPLIOATION FILED mm: 10, mo.

988,812, Patented Apr. 4,1911

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. PRICE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO H. G. POWELL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

COMBINED LACE AND BUTTON SHOE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. Peron, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Lace and Button Shoe; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact -shoe together with the appearance and style of a button shoe.

Another object is to provide a shoe of this character the construction of which will materially reduce the cost of manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe constructed in accordance with the invention showing the same closed and fastened as when being worn; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the lace covering fia open; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the upper portion of the shoe on an enlarged scale showilng the construction of the lace covering fteferring more particularly to the drawing 1 denotes my improved shoe to the front side of which adjacent to one side of the opening in the upper portion of the shoe 1s secured a lace covering flap 2. On the outer side of the flap along the edge thereof is secured a row of buttons 3 around each of which may be placed a row of button hole stitching to imitate button holes. To the under side of the flap adjacent to its lower end and near its outer edge is secured one member 4 of a resilient head and socket fastening the opposite member 5 of which is secured to the outer side of the upper portion of the shoe in position to receive the member 4 when the flap 2 is in closed or operative position.

On the 1nner side of the upper portlon of the shoe below the flap 2 and adapted to be brought over the instep of the foot is a lacing strip or flap 6 in the outer edge of which is arranged a series of lacing eyelets 7 which coact with a similar row of eyelets 8 arranged in the adjacent edge of the opening in the front of the upper portion of the shoe. lVith the eyelets 7 and 8 is engaged a lace 9 whereby the edges of the flap 6 and adjacent edge of the shoe upper are drawn together and said upper thus snugly fitted around the foot and ankle of the wearer. If desired the flap 2 may be provided near its upper end with an eyelet 10 through which and through a similar eyelet 11 arranged near the upper end of the shoe may be passed the ends of the shoe lace before being tied thereby securely fastening the upper end of the flap 2 in place. In Fig. 2

is shown the arrangement of the ends of the lace 9 before the shoe is fastened. When it is desired to tie the lace one of its ends is passed through the eyelet 10 of the flap and this end is then brought over to the other end which passes through the eyelet 11 and the two ends are tied as shown in Fig. 1.

The outer portion of the flap 2 may be formed of the same material from which the upper portion of the shoe is constructed and said material lined in the same manner as the upper portion of the shoe. Between the outer material and lining of the flap is preferably arranged a suitable stiffening material 12 which will cause the flap to lie flat and in its proper position when closed against the shoe. The stiffening material may, itself, if desired form the lining of the flap. In addition to the stiffening material I preferably secure a sta wire or strip 13 in the outer edge of the tap thus providing an additional means for preventing the edges of the flap from curling up. The stay wire or strip 13 may be flat, round or in any suitable shape and may be formed of any stiff flexible material.

If desired I may provide a series of loops or eyes 14 formed of any suitable material and secured in any suitable manner to the under side of the flap 2 whereby the lace may be passed through said loops or eyes to secure the flap down in operative position. These loops or eyes may be substituted for the resilient fastening members 4 and 5 or may be employed in conjunction therewith. The loops or eyes 14 are arranged in such position as to permit the lace to slide freely therethrough thus preventing the lace from drawing upon the flap. Loops 14 are so positioned on the flap that they will lie close to the eyelets 8 and the lace 9 may be passed through all or only some of the loops 4 as well as through all or only some of the eyelets 8. The number and arrangement of the loops 1a and eyelets 8 may be varied as desired.

A shoe constructed in accordance with my invention may be manufactured at less expense than shoes of the ordinary construction in that the eyelets being covered by a flap may be of less expensive quality than when exposed. Furthermore the time and expense connected with the cutting and working of the button holes is obviated. A shoe constructed in the manner described will also be more durable as there are no button holes to tear out and as no strain is exerted on the buttons they are not liable to be pulled oif. By means of the lacing feature of the shoe the stretching occasioned by the adjusting of the shoe to the foot may be taken up and the shoe always held in snug and neat engagement with the foot.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention What I claim is:

1. In a shoe of the character described, a lace covering flap, a lacing strip arranged on the inner side of the flap adjacent to its connection with the shoe upper, series of lacing eyelets arranged in said strip and in the adjacent edge of the opening in the shoe up per, a lacing eyelet at the upper end of said covering flap, an extra eyelet at the top of the shoe upper, a lace engaged with all of said eyelets whereby the shoe upper is closed and the top portion of the covering flap is held in closed position, and means for holding the lower portion of the covering flap in closed position. v

2. In a shoe of the character described, a lace covering flap, a rowof buttons secured to the outer side of said flap along its free edge, a stiffening material arranged on the inner side of the flap, a stay strip arranged around the edge of said flap, a resilient head and socket fastening arranged in said flap and the upper portion of the shoe whereby the flap is fastened in engagement with the upper, a series of lace receiving loops arranged on the inner side of said flap, a lacing strip arranged on the inner side of the flap adjacent to its connection with the shoe upper, a series of lacing eyelets arranged in said strip and the adjacent edge of the opening in the shoe upper, a lace adapted to be engaged with said eyelets, eyelets arranged 7 in the upper end of the flap and in the upper portion of the shoe and adapted to receive the upper ends of said lace before the same are tied.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN 1). PRICE.

lVitnesses:

WM. T. CLARK, T. SHAUTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

